I would remember reading about the countless times Israel fell and God forgave them because of His lovingkindness and patience. I would read and think them quite dumb for not trusting God after the sea split, the plagues ravaged Egypt, and He delivered them. But then God has done so many things in my life without a doubt, I can be a dum dum too getting worried again and again.
Indeed. I believe all Christians used to read about Israel's failures in trusting God, and wondering why don't they get it. Then lo, and behold, we find out we are just like them. And of course that is why God recorded this for us, as examples to learn from.
The Scripture I was going to show concerns Abraham and Sarah. Abraham had the promises of God which were based upon him having a son. (Gen. 12:1-3). But as he got older and had no children, his faith wavered. So he tried to get God to accept his servant Eliezer as his son. To which God refused and repeated His promise to him. (Gen. 15:1-6) Then later Abraham agrees to Sari's plan and had a child by Hagar, named Ishmael to help God out in fulfilling His promise. (Gen. 16:1-5) Then when God appeared to Abraham and repeated the promises, Abraham tried to get Him to take Ishmael as the promised seed. (Gen. 17:18) And worse, he laughed at God at thinking He could fulfill the promise due to his and Sarah's age. (Gen. 17:17) As did Sarah also. (Gen. 18:12).
But, when God records this later, we read this. Concerning Sarah He said, (Heb. 11:11) "Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised."
Concerning Abraham He said, (Rom. 4:18-21), "Who against hope believed in hope...And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead...He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform."
Makes you wonder if we are talking about the same persons. But we are. All that God said of Abraham and Sarah is true. But so is the record of their struggle with their faith in (Genesis). But which does God see? Which does He remember? He remembers it as it is given in (Heb. 11:11) and (Rom. 4:18-21). Can we not see God's attitude toward us in the times that we struggle in our walk here?
Stranger